Wodensthrone are another UK band - there seem to be a lot of them these days - who play a highly epic and melodic variety of Pagan Black Metal. I was expecting this to be tedious, with the long run time, but it is nothing short of enthralling. Wodensthrone play huge, layered melodies that call to mind Cascadian bands like Wolves in the Throne Room, yet with a more aggressive base and harsher, more urgent vocals. There are some long songs on here, like the fucking awesome "First Light", and they are all monster workouts of power, style, and emotion. So much extreme metal is focused on aggression or despair, that the ability to convey other feelings is often overlooked, but this band has atmospheric and emotional variety to add to their melodic depth, and it makes this a real album, and not just a collection of songs. Wodensthrone are just starting out, and they are already set for the big time. Don't skip this one.